diff --git a/parse_execution.cpp b/parse_execution.cpp
index 738e39730..f2eaae251 100644
--- a/parse_execution.cpp
+++ b/parse_execution.cpp
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ parse_execution_result_t parse_execution_context_t::report_error(const parse_nod
         const parse_error_list_t error_list = parse_error_list_t(1, error);
         parser->get_backtrace(src, error_list, &backtrace_and_desc);
 
-        fprintf(stderr, "<%ls>", backtrace_and_desc.c_str());
+        fprintf(stderr, "%ls", backtrace_and_desc.c_str());
     }
 
     return parse_execution_errored;
diff --git a/parse_tree.cpp b/parse_tree.cpp
index 41ef9cf02..484b79687 100644
--- a/parse_tree.cpp
+++ b/parse_tree.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ static bool production_is_empty(const production_t *production)
 }
 
 /** Returns a string description of this parse error */
-wcstring parse_error_t::describe(const wcstring &src, bool skip_caret) const
+wcstring parse_error_t::describe_with_prefix(const wcstring &src, const wcstring &prefix, bool skip_caret) const
 {
     wcstring result = text;
     if (! skip_caret && source_start < src.size() && source_start + source_length <= src.size())
@@ -53,15 +53,16 @@ wcstring parse_error_t::describe(const wcstring &src, bool skip_caret) const
             {
                 result.push_back(L'\n');
             }
+            result.append(prefix);
             result.append(src, line_start, line_end - line_start);
 
-
             // Append the caret line. The input source may include tabs; for that reason we construct a "caret line" that has tabs in corresponding positions
+            const wcstring line_to_measure = prefix + wcstring(src, line_start, source_start - line_start);
             wcstring caret_space_line;
             caret_space_line.reserve(source_start - line_start);
-            for (size_t i=line_start; i < source_start; i++)
+            for (size_t i=0; i < line_to_measure.size(); i++)
             {
-                wchar_t wc = src.at(i);
+                wchar_t wc = line_to_measure.at(i);
                 if (wc == L'\t')
                 {
                     caret_space_line.push_back(L'\t');
@@ -88,6 +89,11 @@ wcstring parse_error_t::describe(const wcstring &src, bool skip_caret) const
     return result;
 }
 
+wcstring parse_error_t::describe(const wcstring &src) const
+{
+    return this->describe_with_prefix(src, wcstring(), false);
+}
+
 wcstring parse_errors_description(const parse_error_list_t &errors, const wcstring &src, const wchar_t *prefix)
 {
     wcstring target;
diff --git a/parse_tree.h b/parse_tree.h
index 77b29fc8a..1835183df 100644
--- a/parse_tree.h
+++ b/parse_tree.h
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ struct parse_error_t
     size_t source_length;
 
     /** Return a string describing the error, suitable for presentation to the user. If skip_caret is false, the offending line with a caret is printed as well */
-    wcstring describe(const wcstring &src, bool skip_caret = false) const;
+    wcstring describe(const wcstring &src) const;
+    
+    /** Return a string describing the error, suitable for presentation to the user, with the given prefix. If skip_caret is false, the offending line with a caret is printed as well */
+    wcstring describe_with_prefix(const wcstring &src, const wcstring &prefix, bool skip_caret) const;
 };
 typedef std::vector<parse_error_t> parse_error_list_t;
 
diff --git a/parser.cpp b/parser.cpp
index 7a75911bd..4f4a050e5 100644
--- a/parser.cpp
+++ b/parser.cpp
@@ -3002,20 +3002,24 @@ void parser_t::get_backtrace(const wcstring &src, const parse_error_list_t &erro
         assert(err.source_start <= src.size());
         size_t which_line = 1 + std::count(src.begin(), src.begin() + err.source_start, L'\n');
 
+        // Don't include the caret if we're interactive, this is the first line of text, and our source is at its beginning, because then it's obvious
+        bool skip_caret = (get_is_interactive() && which_line == 1 && err.source_start == 0);
+        
+        wcstring prefix;
+        
         const wchar_t *filename = this->current_filename();
         if (filename)
         {
-            append_format(*output, _(L"fish: line %lu of %ls:\n"), which_line, user_presentable_path(filename).c_str());
+            prefix = format_string(_(L"%ls (line %lu): "), user_presentable_path(filename).c_str(), which_line);
+            //append_format(*output, _(L"%ls (line %lu):\n"), user_presentable_path(filename).c_str(), which_line);
         }
         else
         {
-            output->append(L"fish: ");
+            prefix = L"fish: ";
+            //output->append(L"fish: ");
         }
 
-        // Don't include the caret if we're interactive, this is the first line of text, and our source is at its beginning, because then it's obvious
-        bool skip_caret = (get_is_interactive() && which_line == 1 && err.source_start == 0);
-
-        output->append(err.describe(src, skip_caret));
+        output->append(err.describe_with_prefix(src, prefix, skip_caret));
         output->push_back(L'\n');
 
         this->stack_trace(0, *output);